An Invitation to Rest and Refreshment
by Leif Hetland – (visit leifhetland.com for info about Leif's ministry)
Psalm 23 is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. Countless times this Psalm has been read in times of grief and sorrow to bring comfort to the listeners. If you read this Psalm carefully you will discover that it is "A day in the life of a sheep." It is spoken from the point of view of a well cared for and well-loved sheep.
There are countless golden nuggets to be mined from this Psalm. Let's look at two:
Golden nugget #1 is an invitation to Rest.
"The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want." As one little child said in Sunday school when asked to quote verse one, "The Lord is my shepherd, that's all I need!" He may have missed the quote but he spoke truth. When you know the person (the Shepherd) you find rest.
In Psalm 22 He Is the Good Shepherd who dies for his sheep. (John 10:11)
In Psalm 23 He is the Great Shepherd who cares for his sheep. (Hebrews 13:20 – 21)
In Psalm 24 He is the Chief Shepherd who comes for his sheep. (1 Peter 5:4)
One of the definitions given for the word "rest" is – peace, ease, or refreshment resulting from sleep or the cessation of an activity.”
Listen to the words of our Shepherd when he said:
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
In commenting on this text, William Barclay wrote:
‘He says, "My yoke is easy." The word easy is in Greek chrestos, which can mean well-fitting. In Palestine ox-yokes were made of wood; the ox was brought, and the measurements were taken. The yoke was then roughed out, and the ox was brought back to have the yoke tried on. The yoke was then carefully adjusted, so that it would fit well, and would not gall the neck of the patient beast. The yolk was tailor-made to fit the ox.’ (The Gospel of Matthew, The Saint Andrew Press, Edinburgh, Page 19).
David was persuaded of God’s ability to satisfy the need of his soul when he said in Psalm 62:1-2: "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I shall never be shaken."
He also knew how to encourage his own soul: "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I shall not be shaken." (Psalm 62:5-6)
Jesus’ yoke (his words, teachings, and commandments) fits us well. The life that He has given us to live is not bitter or heavy burdened, but rather a life-style that is made to measure, to fit us. It is not a “one size fits all” life. Many times we choose to lay our burdens at His feet, only to pick them up again when we leave!
The yoke was a wooden frame used to harness together a pair of oxen at their necks so that they could pull a plow or some other load. It was a balancing device. Sometimes a younger ox needed to be taught to work and thus was paired with an animal of more experience. This beautifully illustrates our relationship with Christ. As we walk by His side, sharing the yoke and burden, the load does not disappear but is made lighter. We can try to carry our load by ourselves, or we can walk with Him, listening to His voice, and thereby find rest for our souls.
Golden nugget #2 is an invitation to Refreshment.
"He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters."
Sheep can be very unstable and must be closely watched and cared for. Someone said that when people are compared to sheep in the Bible, it is not a compliment. So when Isaiah says, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6), he is not saying, "That’s good”. He’s saying, "That’s bad” because we’re just about on the same level with sheep. When Jesus looked out on the people with compassion, the Gospel writers say that He saw them "like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36). That’s not a compliment, either, but a concern.
Philip Keller was a sheep rancher and in his book A Shepherd Looks at the Twenty third Psalm, he says sheep require more attention than any other livestock. They just can’t take care of themselves.
Sheep (and people) can be "dumb" and make bad decisions. Jesus is our wisdom and will lead us to make wise decisions about our life.
Sheep (and people) are "defenseless" and need protection. The Good Shepherd is always on the lookout for the predator who will try to steal and devour His sheep. The Shepherd of our soul is on constant vigilance to protect us, even "when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death."
Sheep (and people) have no sense of direction and need to be led. A dog, horse, cat, or a bird can find its way home. When a sheep gets lost, it’s lost forever unless someone rescues it.
The Good Shepherd leads his sheep to a lush pasture where they have plenty to eat and their stomachs are soon full. Here, then, is a picture of a sheep so completely satisfied that there isn’t the least desire for anything more. He’s so content he lies down in green pastures.
The Lord has provided us with plenty, too. There are few of us who will ever go hungry. In fact, we have so much to eat that dieting is a constant discipline, or maybe more accurately, a constant discussion.
While all of that may be true, it is comforting to know that we have a good Shepherd who will make sure that we are watched and cared for and not left to our own devices.
Did you notice the wording? David said, "He makes me lie down." Sheep sometimes have to be forced to lie down. They can be very stubborn.
Keller said in his book that in order for sheep to lie down, 4 things are required:
1. They have to be full. Hungry sheep stay on their feet searching for another mouthful of food.
2. Secondly, they must be unafraid. They will not lie down if they’re fearful. The least suspicion of wolves or bears and they stand ready to flee.
3. Thirdly, they must be content. If flies or fleas are bothering them they will not lie down.
4. Finally, sheep will not lie down unless there is harmony in the flock. If there is friction over the butting order among them, then they simply cannot relax and lie down.
David then says, "He leads me beside quiet waters." (see vs. 2) Sheep are frightened of swiftly moving water. They are easily upset. They’re poor swimmers, and get bogged down with their heavy wool. When they get wet, it’s easy for them to get “cast” down or turned on their back. When that happens, they must be helped or the lion, bear or wolf will come and kill them.
David used the same picture in Psalm 42:5 when describing his depressed state. “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.”
David, in his distress, had “turned” or was “cast down” and needed God to lift him up. As a shepherd himself, he knew if he stayed in that spiritual condition for very long the enemy would come and destroy him.
So when the shepherd comes to a flowing stream, he doesn’t try to force the sheep to drink. Instead, a good shepherd builds a dam and makes a quiet little pool where his sheep can drink from still waters.
"Dr. Andrew Bonar told me how, in the Highlands of Scotland, a sheep would often wander off into the rocks and get into places that they couldn't get out of. The grass on these mountains is very sweet and the sheep like it, and they will jump down ten or twelve feet, and then they can't jump back again, and the shepherd hears them bleating in distress. They may be there for days, until they have eaten all the grass. The shepherd will wait until they are so faint they cannot stand, and then they will put a rope around him, and he will go over and pull that sheep up out of the jaws of death. "Why don't they go down there when the sheep first gets there?" I asked. "Ah!" He said, "they are so very foolish they would dash right over the precipice and be killed if they did!" And that is the way with men; they won't go back to God till they have no friends and have lost everything. If you are a wanderer I tell you that the Good Shepherd will bring you back the moment you have given up trying to save yourself and are willing to let Him save you His own way.” Moody's Anecdotes, pp. 70-71
Are you stressed to the max? Is it hard to focus on daily tasks? Your load is so heavy you think you will collapse under the weight? “Casting all your care on Him, for He cares for you!” (1 Peter 5:7)
Much Love,
Leif Hetland
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Ten Benefits of Favor – sermon outline
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The following is a cool outline by my friend Leif Hetland on the benefits of God's favor on our lives. I hope you enjoy it.
TEN BENEFITS OF FAVOR
by Leif Hetland (LeifHetland.com)
1. Favor is greater than material wealth.
Proverbs 22:1 – "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold."
2. Favor is stronger than military power.
Psalm 5:12 – “For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.”
3. Favor releases from bondage.
Psalm 85:1 – “Lord, You have been favorable to Your land; You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.”
4. Spiritual wisdom leads to favor.
Proverbs 14:35 – “The king’s favor is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes shame.”
5. Doing what is right brings favor.
1 Peter 2:20 – “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.”
6. Favor breaks the power of shame and disgrace.
Luke 1:28-30 – “And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
Luke 1:24-25 – “After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
7. Favor brings supernatural increase and promotion.
Genesis 39:21 – “But, the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”
8. Favor will give honor in the midst of adversaries.
Exodus 11:3 – “And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.”
9. Favor brings prominence and preferential treatment.
Esther 2:17 – “The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.”
10. Favor brings recognition even when you seem the least likely to receive it.
1 Samuel 16:22 – “Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.”
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Six Easter Sermon Illustrations
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Following are some good sermon illustrations you can use for Easter or any time you are teaching on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ:
He is Risen!
Dr. George Sweeting tells of an incident in the early 1920s when Communist leader Nikolai Bukharin was sent from Moscow to Kiev to address an anti-God rally. For an hour he abused and ridiculed the Christian faith until it seemed as if the whole structure of belief was in ruins. Then questions were invited. An Orthodox church priest rose and asked to speak. He turned, faced the people, and gave the Easter greeting, "He is risen!" Instantly the assembly rose to its feet and the reply came back loud and clear, "He is risen indeed!"
Today in the Word, September, 1989, p. 8.
A Weekend Rental
It was Joseph who supplied the tomb for Jesus’ burial. Well, it seems that someone pulled him aside and said, “Joseph, that was such a beautiful, costly, hand-hewn tomb. Why on earth did you give it to someone else to be buried in?” Joseph just smiled. “Why not? He only needed it for the weekend.” (Source Unknown).
Funeral Problems with Jesus Around
As a young man, D. L. Moody was suddenly called upon to preach a funeral sermon. He hunted all through the Four Gospels trying to find one of Christ’s funeral sermons, but searched in vain. He found that Christ broke up every funeral He ever attended. Death could not exist where He was. When the dead heard His voice they sprang to life. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). (Encyclopedia of Illustrations).
Did Lazarus really rise?
I once heard a story about Robert Ingersoll, the famous atheist of some decades ago. It is told that at one time he sought to show how the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead by Jesus was just a trick to bolster His waning fortunes. To clinch his point, Ingersoll said to the audience, “Can anyone tell me now why Jesus said: ‘Lazarus, come forth!’” (John 11:43)? An old Christian in the back got up and said: “Yes! Because if He had not said ‘Lazarus,’ He would have had the whole graveyard of Bethany coming out to Him.” (The Possible Years, Concordia).
Jesus Left the Light On!
A small boy from a non-Christian home had been brought into the Sunday school. His mother was not only unsaved, but she had a morbid fear of death. After her little boy became interested in the Sunday school he begged her to come to church with him, but she persistently refused his entreaties because she was afraid that the preacher might say something about death or dying. On Easter Sunday the teacher noticed the lad's rapt attention while she told the beautiful story of the risen Christ. The child hastened home with a shining face, and exclaimed, "Oh, Mother, you needn't be afraid of dying any more, for Jesus went through the grave and left a light behind Him!" Gradually the fear in her heart melted under the influence of her son's words about "the light behind Him." Early one evening she had put him to bed and heard him pray as he did nightly that God would make her a Christian, "and do it right quick!" he added. Later that evening a neighbor persuaded the mother to go to church. The Heaven-sent message brought conviction, and that night her little boy's prayer was answered!—Sunday School Times.
A Living Witness
A missionary in Turkey wished to teach to a group of people the truth of the resurrection of Christ. He said: "I am traveling, and have reached a place where the road branches off in two ways; I look for a guide, and find two men: one dead, and the other alive. Which of the two must I ask for direction, the dead or the living?" "Oh, the living," cried the people. "Then," said the missionary, "why send me to Mohammed, who is dead, instead of to Christ, who is alive!"—Christian Endeavor World.
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Preacher Jokes 7 – Pulpit Humor
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Hope You Enjoy These Actual Announcements from Church Bulletins
• Today's Sermon: HOW MUCH CAN A MAN DRINK? with hymns from a full choir.
• Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to church secretary.
• Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.
• Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.
• The rosebud on the altar this morning is to announce the birth of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev. and Mrs. Julius Belzer.
• This afternoon there will be a meeting in the south and north ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.
• Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. there will be an ice cream social. All ladies giving milk will please come early.
• Wednesday, the Ladies Liturgy Society will meet. Mrs. Jones will sing "Put Me In My Little Bed" accompanied by the pastor.
• Thursday at 5:00 p.m. there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers Club. All wishing to become little mothers, please see the minister in his study.
• This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.
• The service will close with "Little Drops Of Water." One of the ladies will start quietly, and the rest of the congregation will join in.
• Next Sunday, a special collection will be taken to defray the cost of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the new carpet will come forward and get a piece of paper.
• The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement Friday.
• A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
• At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?" – come early and listen to our choir practice.
• Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
• Miss Charlene Mason sang, "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
• "Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands."
• The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."
• Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
• Coming Up—Theological Open House. We discuss thought-provoking topics. Your opinions are hardly welcome.
• All singles are invited to join us Friday at 7 p.m. for the annula Christmas Sing-alone."
• Thursday night – potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow.
• Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and the community.
• For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
• Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and requests tapes of Pastor Jack's sermons.
• The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing "Break Forth into Joy."
• Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
• Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
• Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
• Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person(s) you want remembered.
• Next Sunday Mrs. Vinson will be soloist for the morning service. The pastor will then speak on "It's a Terrible Experience."
• The music for today's service was all composed by George Friedrich Handel in celebration of the 300th anniversary of his birth.
• Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.
• The concert held in Fellowship Hall was a great success. Special thanks are due to the minister's daughter, who labored the whole evening at the piano, which as usual fell upon her.
• This evening at 7 pm there will be a hymn sing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
• Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.
• The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday "I Upped My Pledge – Up Yours."
• The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility.
• The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.
• Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday. Please use the back door.
• The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7:00 p.m. The Congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
• Weight Watchers will meet at 7:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
• The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church.
• The Rev. Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight of the audience.
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Four Questions on Discerning Direction from God
by Eddie Lawrence
INTRODUCTION: Being led of the Spirit and knowing the will of God requires discernment and an submissive heart. It is important that we get our heart in the place where we are willing to do whatever the Lord may ask us to do. We must not be like the lady that I read about who….
ILLUS-Walter Knight told of an old Scottish woman who went from home to home across the countryside selling thread, buttons, and shoestrings. When she came to an unmarked crossroad, she would toss a stick into the air and go in the direction the stick pointed when it landed.
One day, however, she was seen tossing the stick up several times. "Why do you toss the stick more than once?" someone asked. "Because," replied the woman, "it keeps pointing to the left, and I want to take the road on the right." She then dutifully kept throwing the stick into the air until it pointed the way she wanted to go!
Today in the Word, May, 1989.
TEXT: Proverbs 3:Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct[a] your paths.
The Bible assures us that there is a way we can position our hearts to know we will be directed by the Lord. This verse says so in addition to many others. Let me share four questions we can ask during times when we are trying to discern direction from the Lord.
1. Does What You are Sensing Square with Scripture?
-Since the Scripture reveals us to us the will of God, we should never follow a path contrary to the truth of Scripture.
-We are to be led by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14) and the Holy Spirit will never lead us contrary to Scripture. Why? Because the Scripture was given to men through the Holy Spirit.
2. Does What You are Sensing Bear Witness with Peace?
-Paul wrote we are to let the peace of God rule in our hearts. If what we think we hear God saying causes us to lose our peace, then something is amiss.
-The ministry of reconciliation that believers carries is awesome. We must not violate that ministry by doing things that we do not have an inner peace about doing,
-Something may be right to do, but it may not be the right time to do it.
-Something may be right for someone else to do, but yet, you are not to do it,
-Something may right in your own eyes and the eyes of your friends, but if there is no peace, then the Holy Spirit is saying "No!"
3. Does What You are Sensing Connect or Conflict with Other Confirmed Direction?
-If you are having to knock down a door that God has not opened, then realize you are going the wrong way. Sometimes we want something we will try to bend everything toward it.
ILLUS-When God bolts the door, don't try to get in through the window. The will of God never will lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.- Source Unknown.
-In the mouth of two or three witnesses a thing is established. What does the counsel of godly people around you say?
-What prophetic words have you been encouraged with through the Scripture or through the Spirit speaking through someone else, or even your dreams. God still speaks through dreams but be discerning and use the Word as a standard to judge them.
ILLUS-Do not hastily ascribe things to God. Do not easily suppose dreams, voices, impressions, visions or revelations to be from God. They may be from Him. They may be from nature. They may be from the Devil.
J.K. Johnston, John Wesley Why Christians Sin, Discovery House, 1992, p. 102.
-Do not go against the last thing you KNOW God spoke to you about by changing directions on a word you are not fully assurred of.
4. Does What You are Sensing Contain the Fruit of the Spirit?
-Do not do what Jesus who was full of the Spirit would not do.
-This is a behavior oriented test. The Lord leads us to do things that will result in the fruit of the Spirit being demonstrated in our lives.
-For example, He will not lead you to lose your patience with your spouse. He will not lead you to respond to someone in a hateful way, or unforgiving way, etc.
CONCLUSION: Are you willing to do His will. Kent Crockett says:
People wrestle with God for one of two reasons:
1. They don't know God's will and are trying to find it.
2. They know God's will and are trying to decide whether or not to do it. (Kent Crockett's Sermon Illustrations)
Which of these might you be wrestling with?
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Preacher Jokes 6 – Pulpit Humor
By · CommentsHere's the next batch of jokes preachers can use to add a little laughter to their ministry.
The Highest Bidder!
During the wedding rehearsal, the groom approached the pastor with an unusual offer:
"Look, I'll give you $100 if you'll change the wedding vows. When you get to the part where I'm supposed to promise to 'love, honor and obey' and 'be faithful to her forever,' I'd appreciate it if you'd just leave that out."
He passed the minister a $100 bill and walked away satisfied.
On the day of the wedding, when it came time for the groom's vows, the pastor looked the young man in the eye and said: "Will you promise to prostrate yourself before her, obey her every command and wish, serve her breakfast in bed every morning of your life, and swear eternally before God and your lovely wife that you will not ever even look at another woman, as long as you both shall live?"
The groom gulped and looked around, and said in a tiny voice, "Yes," then leaned toward the pastor and hissed: "I thought we had a deal."
The pastor put a $100 bill into the groom's hand and whispered: "She made me a better offer."
Man of the House
A mild-mannered man was tired of being bossed around by his wife so he went to a psychiatrist.
The psychiatrist said he needed to build his self-esteem, and so gave him a book on assertiveness, which he read on the way home.
He had finished the book by the time he reached his house.
The man stormed into the house and walked up to his wife.
Pointing a finger in her face, he said, "From now on, I want you to know that I am the man of this house, and my word is law! I want you to prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and when I'm finished eating my meal, I expect a sumptuous dessert afterward. Then, after dinner, you're going to draw me my bath so I can relax. And when I'm finished with my bath, guess who's going to dress me and comb my hair?"
"The funeral director," said his wife.
Something to Beef About!
A motorist driving by a Texas ranch hit and killed a calf that was crossing the road.
The driver went to the owner of the calf and explained what had happened. He then asked what the animal was worth.
"Oh, about $200 today," said the rancher.
"But in six years it would have been worth $900. So $900 is what I'm out."
The motorist sat down and wrote out a check and handed it to the farmer.
"Here," he said, "is the check for $900. It is post-dated six years from now."
Running Bear
Two campers were hiking in the forest when all of a sudden a bear jumps out of a bush and starts chasing them. Both campers start running for their lives, when one of them stops and starts to put on his running shoes.
His partner says, "What are you doing? You can't outrun a bear!"
His friend replies, "I don't have to outrun the bear, I only have to outrun you!"
Park It!
The minister of a well-attended, strong, and enthusiastic church often showed himself ready and able to deal with any situation that might come up.
One Sunday, just as the minister was reaching the peak of his sermon, his own young son entered the church, ran to the center aisle, started making loud beeps and brrrmms like a car without a muffler, then zoomed right toward him.
The minister stopped his sermon, pointed directly at his son, and commanded, "Jimmy, park the car immediately beside your mother on that bench (pointing), turn off the ignition, and hand her the keys."
The sermon continued undisturbed after a good laugh by the congregation.
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Seeing Through Heaven’s Eyes — A great Easter Sermon
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Seeing Through Heaven’s Eyes
by Leif Hetland ( Leifhetland.com )
**Leif has recently released a book by this same title–SEEING THROUGH HEAVEN'S EYES. You can purchase a copy through Amazon or through Leif's site.
TEXT: For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:20-23).
INTRODUCTION: It is vital to see the world through the eye's of Heaven; but more importantly, we must see people through Heaven's eyes. Its easy to love people you want to love, but it's another thing to love the ones that hurt you. In Matthew 5:43-45, Jesus says to love your enemy and bless them, which is contrary to the cultural norm. Let's study the way Jesus loved his enemies, despite everything.
ILLUS- In his book, Strength to Love, Martin Luther King, Jr. gives a globally relevant admonition based on Jesus’ words:
"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. So when Jesus says “Love your enemies,” he is setting forth a profound and ultimately inescapable admonition. Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies—or else? The chain reaction of evil—hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars—must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation."
The God of the Bible is a searching God, seeking to find us, regardless of how alone we feel or how afflicted we are. It doesn’t seem to matter where we have ended up or how we have gotten there. It doesn’t matter into what physical wilderness we have wandered or into what spiritual wilderness we have sought refuge. All that matters is that we are found and that we are brought home. The parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son all tell the same story—the story of how greatly we are loved, how greatly we are missed, and how happy Heaven is when we are found and brought home (see Luke 15).
That includes our enemies.
The King’s Example
The idea of loving our enemies is hard for a lot of people to swallow. But even those who are the most skeptical of Jesus’ claims and the most critical of Jesus’ teaching have to admit—He took His own medicine. He took it without resisting the spoon, without complaining about the taste, and without adding the slightest bit of sugary sentimentality to help the medicine go down.
Follow the narrative of Jesus’ last 24 hours, and see how He took it. What you see and hear is the best visual aid to the Sermon on the Mount you could ever find. Look and listen…and you will fall even more in love with Him than you are now.
Judas.
Jesus chose him as one of the twelve, all the while knowing that one day he would betray Him. For three-and-a-half years Jesus walked with him, talked with him, ate with him, ministered with him. He befriended one who would turn into an enemy when Jesus most needed a friend. That final night in the upper room, Jesus washed Judas’ feet, just as He had done for the other disciples. He dined with the man who would soon turn the tables on Him. He spoke kindly to him, never once berating him for his betrayal. And He fed part of the Passover meal to him with His own hands, dismissing Judas in hushed tones so as not to publicly humiliate him in front of the other disciples (see John 13:21-30).
Peter.
Jesus warned him ahead of time about his defection. To soften the blow, Jesus explained to Peter that it wasn’t all his fault, that Satan had a hand in it, too. For this man who would deny not only his friendship with Jesus but even his acquaintance with Him, Jesus prayed. He prayed, and He told Peter, essentially, not to let the failure destroy him, that He still loved him, still believed in him, still thought he was the right man for the job (see Luke 22:31-32). And after Jesus rose from the dead, He sought out Peter, especially Peter, because Peter especially needed to be found and brought home to the Savior’s loving arms (see John 21:15-19).
Malchus.
He was the high priest’s servant who accompanied the soldiers when they arrested Jesus in the garden. In a rash move to defend Jesus, Peter drew his sword and cut off a portion of the servant’s ear. Jesus’ response?
Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:52-53).
What an incredible restraint of the angelic arsenal He had at His disposal! On His way to the cross, Jesus wouldn’t allow so much as a sword to be used in His defense. Nor would He let so much as an ear to be sacrificed on His behalf. Finally and beautifully, in His most miniscule but perhaps most regal of miracles, Jesus healed the ear of His enemy (see Luke 22:51).
The other disciples.
Outmanned and out-armed, they deserted Jesus at His most desperate hour. His response? He didn’t call them cowards; instead, He covered for them, explaining that their actions were simply a fulfillment of prophecy:
Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered’” (Matthew 26:31).
The religious leaders who tried Him.
They accused Jesus falsely and gathered witnesses to testify against Him, again falsely. They hit Him. His response? He didn’t defend Himself, and He didn’t denigrate them. Not returning insult for insult, or injury for injury, He took the fist, silently, bravely, and with a bold resignation that befits a king (see Mark 14:53-65).
The Roman soldiers.
Brutal men, they mocked Jesus, draping His shoulders with a purple cape, thrusting a thorny crown into His scalp, and humiliating Him as they took turns beating Him. His response? Again, He took the blows, turned the other cheek, and did not resist the evil that propped Him up and pummeled Him (see Mark 15:16-20).
The crowd that surrounded Him at the cross.
They taunted Jesus, quoting Scriptures to Him, daring Him to prove Himself King, if indeed He was one. His response? He bore the daggers of ridicule, the spears of sarcasm. And He didn’t throw them back. He took it all, and He took it with the nobility of a true king (see Mark 15:29-32).
The soldiers at the cross.
The ones who hammered the nails into His hands, His feet. The ones who raised the cross into place. And the ones hunched over a pair of dice, gambling for His cloak. His response? Forgiveness. And not only that, listen to His plea bargain on their behalf: “Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do’” (Luke 23:34). In other words, Jesus is telling the Father that if the soldiers could only see Him for who He really was, if they knew that He was indeed a king, indeed the Son of God, they would never have done this. Remarkable, when you think about it. Jesus not only forgives His enemies, He defends them.
The two thieves.
When you compare the parallel accounts, you discover that both thieves cursed Jesus (see Mark 15:32; Luke 23:39-40). Never once did Jesus curse back. Instead, He gave a blessing to the one who asked to be remembered. The blessing? The man had just asked that Jesus remember Him when He got to His Kingdom. That’s all. And Jesus gave him Paradise. Paradise! In a few hours of witnessing Jesus’ response to His enemies, one of those enemies was transformed into a friend, and remained a friend forever (see Luke 23:42-43).
We are told that when Peter denied Jesus for the third time, a rooster crowed, reminding him of Jesus’ words earlier that night. He turned and saw Jesus looking at him. What he saw were not the eyes of an enemy but the eyes of a friend. And when their eyes met, we are told that Peter went away, weeping bitterly (see Luke 22:60-62). The next day Peter likely approached the cross, but from afar. He saw Jesus’ enemies, teeth bared like a pack of wolves that had cornered its prey. He heard the insults, the taunts, the mocking, the cursing. And he saw Jesus’ response to them, heard His words and the tone in which the words were spoken. Here is how the example of Jesus impacted him, inspiring his words to fellow believers who were undergoing persecution by their enemies:
For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:20-23).
What Peter saw and heard that day, though it was from a distance as he stood on the periphery, cloaked in anonymity, changed him forever. How could it not? How could anyone not be changed if he or she only knew the story—the whole story—of just how much we are loved?
[Excerpt from chapter 9]
There are always people in our lives that come against us, treat us badly or hurt us. Who are some of those people in your life?
The revolution of love reflects the whole story of Jesus coming to earth to show man who he was intended to be. What will it look like when you show those people love, despite everything?
This week, love them – they deserve love, so they can witness the whole story!
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Eyes Opened – Sermon Outline
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by Rev. Charles Spurgeon
Elisha's young man could see; yet he had his eyes more fully opened.
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Church Increase – Sermon Outline
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by Rev. Charles Spurgeon
"The children which thou shalt have."
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Preacher Jokes 5 – Pulpit Humor
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When I was Young
When I was young I used to pray for a bicycle.
Then I realized that God doesn't work that way.
So I stole a bicycle and prayed for forgiveness.
Generous lawyer
A local United Way office realized that the organization had never received a donation from the town's most successful lawyer. The person in charge of contributions called him to persuade him to contribute.
"Our research shows that out of a yearly income of at least $500,000, you give not a penny to charity. Wouldn't you like to give back to the community in some way?"
The lawyer mulled this over for a moment and replied, "First, did your research also show that my mother is dying after a long illness, and has medical bills that are several times her annual income?"
Embarrassed, the United Way rep mumbled, "Um … no."
The lawyer interrupts, "or that my brother, a disabled veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair?"
The stricken United Way rep began to stammer out an apology, but was interrupted again.
"or that my sister's husband died in a traffic accident," the lawyer's voice rising in indignation, "leaving her penniless with three children?!"
The humiliated United Way rep, completely beaten, said simply, "I had no idea…"
On a roll, the lawyer cut him off once again, "So if I don't give any money to them, why should I give any to you?"
The Other Side
Once upon a time, there was a river. The Nile River, to be exact. On one side of the river lived the rabbit, and on the other side lived the bear.
One fine day, the bear was sitting on a stump, enjoying his breakfest of berries. Then he heard someone yelling at him. It was the rabbit.
"Hey! Hey, Teddy, get yourself over here. I've got something to show you!"
"Not now! I'm eating."
"Oh come on!" said the rabbit. "It's really important."
"No way."
"Please. It's urgent."
So the bear decided to go all the way over the wide river. It took him all day and all night to get over to the other side. He nearly drowned. And when he finally got there he was groaning and panting, and wheezing for air.
"Well, rabbit," he panted. "What did you want to tell me?"
"Hey, Teddy," the rabbit began, "look how many berries are on the other side of the river."
Jonah and the Whale
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.
The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though they were a very large mammal their throat was very small.
The little girl stated Jonah was swallowed by a whale.
The teacher reiterated a whale could not
swallow a human; it was impossible.
The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah."
The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"
The little girl replied, "Then you ask him."
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